Better Bike...Need To Be Fitter....Normal ?

seataltea

I have relegated my year old Rockrider 6.3 to bike No2 now and am using a new Boardman HT Pro as my main 'do it all' ride.

It seems to have been the case that my general level of fitness had become attuned to the weight and abilities of the Rockrider in the many and varied locations where I rode.

Now on the Boardman with it's lighter weight, different geometry and XC bias I realise that to get 100% out of it I need to step fitness up to another level.

I guess this is quite a common situation for those with a variety of bikes or those who have been riding for a while ?

Realistically I don't think I'll get 100% out of the Boardman although it requires less effort to beat the Rockrider on XC rides I'd need to be 20yrs younger to really make it fly.

I think for me at least I may have found the tipping point between rider ability and bike ability.

joshtp

i think you need to be a better, fitter rider to get the most out of a better bike, a begginer will not get the most out of a superbike, but will on a cheapo, a really good rider can get the most out of anything

keeko

joshtp/mbukman wrote:

i think you need to be a better, fitter rider to get the most out of a better bike, a begginer will not get the most out of a superbike, but will on a cheapo, a really good rider can get the most out of anything

Spot on. Too many people out on the trails confuse their abilty with the bike they can afford.

delcol

totally agree

Chaz.Harding

keeko wrote:

Spot on. Too many people out on the trails confuse their abilty with the bike they can afford.

What are you insinuating here...? People off lesser ability than you, shouldn't ride 'better' / more expensive bikes..?

I ride a 7inch AM bike, that cost over £3,500. I am not, however, going to worry any pro racers of either XC or gravity fueled backgrounds.... I'm not a fat biffa who just bought it to show off to his one mate, I ride it everywhere, as hard as I can. But if I don't ride my bike as 'good' as you ride yours, does that make me un-worthy of it...? Do I have to sell it and get an Apollo-£100-catalogue-special, for my skill-level...? :roll:

It grips me when folks think that people riding better or more expensive bikes than them, can't or don't ride them to the full potential. Just because £4,000 is alot to you (me also!), it doesn't nessecerily mean it's alot to everyone. If someone wants to get a better, or more expensive bike, then I say, do it! Especially if it gives them more confidence, and makes them want to get out and ride more!

Chaz.Harding

keeko wrote:

Spot on. Too many people out on the trails confuse their abilty with the bike they can afford.

What are you insinuating here...? People off lesser ability than you, shouldn't ride 'better' / more expensive bikes..?

I ride a 7inch AM bike, that cost over £3,500. I am not, however, going to worry any pro racers of either XC or gravity fueled backgrounds.... I'm not a fat biffa who just bought it to show off to his one mate, I ride it everywhere, as hard as I can. But if I don't ride my bike as 'good' as you ride yours, does that make me un-worthy of it...? Do I have to sell it and get an Apollo-£100-catalogue-special, for my skill-level...? :roll:

It grips me when folks think that people riding better or more expensive bikes than them, can't or don't ride them to the full potential. Just because £4,000 is alot to you (me also!), it doesn't nessecerily mean it's alot to everyone. If someone wants to get a better, or more expensive bike, then I say, do it! Especially if it gives them more confidence, and makes them want to get out and ride more!

keeko

bigchazrocks wrote:

keeko wrote:

Spot on. Too many people out on the trails confuse their abilty with the bike they can afford.

What are you insinuating here...? People off lesser ability than you, shouldn't ride 'better' / more expensive bikes..?

I ride a 7inch AM bike, that cost over £3,500. I am not, however, going to worry any pro racers of either XC or gravity fueled backgrounds.... I'm not a fat biffa who just bought it to show off to his one mate!

Whoa! Steady on there, I`m not saying anything of the kind. I have no beef with anyone spending a few bucks on their hobby of choice. If anything thats the norm. I`ve shelled out a few quid myself over the years. What I`m saying is that `some` individuals `do` actually confuse money invested with knowledge or kudos thats all. I`ve been mountain biking for 16 years and I`ve seen it time and time again.
My mate has more money than sense rides a Ti litespeed decked out with XTR.............

.......To the shops!.He gives it large about his MTB days. I know most people aren`t in that scenario but a lot are. I missed out a while back on bike on ebay , a Whyte 46. Fitted with bell, huge chain D lock device and some sort of pannier thing.
Its not a personal attack dude, you`re an Engineer, you`d blow me up

Chaz.Harding

Sorry mate. I guess I read it the wrong way!

You should have said that it's people who 'waste' good money on bikes to either not at all be used, or be used soley to the shopping run, or trip to the pub, just to show off.

Not that theres anything wrong with showing off but I think you have to use the bike too, rather than just tell everyone how awesome it rides to your house and back, never seeing dirt.

I don't stress over it, but it makes me a little sad to see good bikes being (ab)used like that... Ah well..!

keeko

bigchazrocks wrote:

Sorry mate. I guess I read it the wrong way!

You should have said that it's people who 'waste' good money on bikes to either not at all be used, or be used soley to the shopping run, or trip to the pub, just to show off.

Not that theres anything wrong with showing off but I think you have to use the bike too, rather than just tell everyone how awesome it rides to your house and back, never seeing dirt.

I don't stress over it, but it makes me a little sad to see good bikes being (ab)used like that... Ah well..!

I actually have a cheek talking about wasting a good bike. I`ve just shelled out on a carbon Zaskar and I can`t ride it as I have a broken hand. I`ll have to sit and look at it. Or, invite people in to look at it.

Tank-slapper

A few people ride expensive bikes because they can, not because they are able to. But why not? Imagine how rubbish they would be if they rode a rubbish bike.

Eranu

It's the same with everything, cars, houses, iPhones etc. If you can afford it buy imo, I couldn't care less what people think as long as I'm enjoying myself!

Anonymous

I agree with others here, get whatever you can afford.
Sure, those of us with shallower pockets will be slightly envious on the inside, but that's just human nature

What does annoy me is when people will treat others like a second class citizen for not having as "good" a bike as them.

capoz77

Mountain biking being my main hobby spending £2800 on my full Heckler build isn't a lot of money. Not when it took me two years to pay off :oops:

But then £83 a month for something which is my passion is well justifyable. - i'd spend that on a night on the bottle!

So when someone says i've spent £2k on a bike, its not a lot if you budget it properly.

Recently i've stuck some rigid forks and singlespeeded my old rusty 1995 hardtail, i've used it for a couple of weeks now. Went back to the Heckler last weekend and couldn't wipe the smile off my face, :shock: going hardtail for a while then back to full sus really hones those skills and now I absolutely fly on the Heck. Love going back to basics every once in a while then back to full sus, hydro brakes and slick geo.

Its not about who's bike is better its about enjoying biking.

joshtp

you should get whatever bike you want and can afford, but im saying that begginers cant get the most out of a bike like that, it takes more skill and fitness, uim not saying they shouldnt ride it. People have a skill top barrier, a better bike wil make you faster, but there is a point where youi can keep going up in bike terms, but your time will llevel off, skill level means that thet are at their limit.

thewaiter

seataltea wrote:

Now on the Boardman with it's lighter weight, different geometry and XC bias I realise that to get 100% out of it I need to step fitness up to another level.

i feel that about my newly purchsed Rocky Ridge .... infinetly better bike than I would ever be able to ride 100% proficiently.... but the more you use it the better you become on it and hopefully that translates into fitter/faster......

Kevin

stumpyjon

keeko wrote:

Too many people out on the trails confuse their abilty with the bike they can afford.

That can also be read the other way around, people on cheaper bikes may be limited by their bike rather than their natural ability.

ol\'gregg

I bought myself a '08 giant rainier for £300 i had about £800 to spend at the time but my logic was i wanted something cheap to start with that would get me back into things and when the time came i'd upgrade as my skill level progressed. plus i knew i'd fall off alot so didn't want a nice trophy bike